


The City Boy

by waddiwasiwitch



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 07:42:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17137757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waddiwasiwitch/pseuds/waddiwasiwitch
Summary: Riza is not quite sure what to make of her father's new apprentice. Young Royai.





	The City Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for puppybek on Tumblr.

**The city boy**

Riza Hawkeye was unsure what to make of her father’s new apprentice. She was used to her own company and running the household without much interruption. Roy Mustang was unwaveringly polite and seemed really intent on impressing her father, which was no mean feat. She didn’t normally talk to her father’s apprentices but then they never lasted as long as this city boy. When he first arrived, he tried to engage her in conversation. She figured he was trying to butter up her father so she kept him at a distance. More fool him anyway, her father didn’t take much interest in his daughter.

Riza was sitting in the swinging chair on the patio. Her legs were tucked beneath her. She smiled as she closed the book.

“Hello, Miss Hawkeye.”

She looked up and saw her father’s apprentice, leaning against the door jamb.

“Are you looking for something, Mister Mustang?”

He shook his head. “Master Hawkeye is busy for the evening. I have a free evening for once and I thought I would take a walk.”

He was wearing a winter coat. It wasn’t even that cold as far as she was concerned. What would the poor city boy do when it got really cold?

“Well, it’s quite mucky, so I wouldn’t wear those dress shoes.”

Small pink blotches appeared on his cheeks. “What’s wrong with my shoes?”

“You’ll track mud all over the house,” she pointed out. “Take Father’s wellingtons. They’re just inside the door.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know if that would be appropriate. I don’t think Master Hawkeye would like it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Father will never know. Once he’s caught up in his study, nothing will get him out until he’s done. Just make sure you wash them when you come back.”

“Alright, thank you.”

He nodded and went inside to fetch the wellingtons. When he returned a moment later, he sat on the step to change out of his shoes. Who wore smart shoes to go out for a walk? At first, she thought he had come from a rich family, but on reflection, she realised his clothes and shoes were certainly of good quality but worn. The same with his shoes. Maybe he didn’t bring walking shoes. Although that was a ridiculous mistake to make when coming to the countryside.   
He caught her looking at him and she immediately looked the other way.

“Can I borrow that book of yours? I mean, when you’re done, of course.”

She turned back to look at him and arched an eyebrow, “I thought the only books you were interested in were alchemy textbooks. I didn’t realise you read for fun.”

She clapped her hand to her mouth realising how rude that sounded.

He just grinned at her. “Don’t tell your father, but sometimes I stick other books inside my alchemy textbooks.” He laughed. “You thought I would look down on fiction books.”

She felt herself blushing. “Sorry.”

He waved away her apology. “My aunt insisted taking me to a bookshop before I left Central, but I am running out of something new to read.”

“What makes you want to read this particular book?”

“Well, every time you’ve been reading it, you’ve been smiling.”

She didn’t think he took any notice of what she did. That was odd.

“I don’t think you will enjoy it,” she said coolly.

“What makes you say that?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Honestly, I just really need to read something that’s not alchemy related.” He let out a long sigh. “I would read anything. I mean, anything. I’ve read the most ridiculous books that my sisters leave lying around.”

“Sisters? I thought you were an only child.”

He shrugged. “Well, they’re not really my sisters. I just call them, my aunts girls, that.”

Riza wrinkled her brow. “Oh, you mean your cousins?”

“No, my aunt has a bar,” he said. “They’re her employees but we’re like a big family.”

“That sounds nice,” she said wistfully.

It was only her and her father. It was lonely even between the apprentices coming in and out.

“Lots of the girls don’t have any other family, so they join ours. As Aunt Chris says, You make your own family.”

That was a nice sentiment. Maybe the city boy wasn’t quite as bad as she thought. She thought she would like to hear more about this strange family of his.  
“You can borrow the book, Mister Mustang,” she said.

His eyes widened. “Oh, thank you, Miss Hawkeye.”

He smiled and Riza felt warm inside. “Just don’t damage the spine.”

“I won’t. I promise I will take care of it.”

“Fine, I’ll give to you later,” she said. “You know, if you’re going on that walk, you should really go now.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh - if you’re free, Miss Hawkeye, do you want to come too?”

“I have to make dinner,” she said.

“I can help after the walk.”

“You?” She made a scoffing noise. “Help with dinner?”

He glared at her. “I’m not completely useless, you know. I help at home.” He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. “You know what, it’s lonely here and I thought we would be friends seeing as we’re the only kids here. Never mind.”

Her face burned as he turned on his heel and headed for the woods.

“Hang on, Mister Mustang,” she called after him.

He kept on moving.

“Roy?”

He stopped.

“I’m sorry, I may have been a little bit unfair,” she admitted.

He turned around. “Well then, are you coming?”

Fin


End file.
